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Old 02-11-2011, 11:33 AM   #1
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Got Stocks?

We've been shedding some individual stocks; we're taking pretty good gains but they've been going nowhere lately and I can't make a case for keeping them. I've pretty much accepted that I'm not smart/diligent enough to evaluate individual companies and their prospects, so we're moving towards all funds, mostly broad index types.

So I'm wondering, what % of your port is individual stocks, and how do you feel about it?
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Old 02-11-2011, 11:35 AM   #2
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100% fund right now, and doing homework on individual stocks right now to see if I can make some more moola on those. Nobody is ever satisfied it seems.
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Old 02-11-2011, 11:48 AM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BOBOT View Post
So I'm wondering, what % of your port is individual stocks...
3.8%
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Originally Posted by BOBOT View Post
...and how do you feel about it?
Great!
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Old 02-11-2011, 12:12 PM   #4
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40% because I truly enjoy doing the research.
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Old 02-11-2011, 12:59 PM   #5
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5% - all in Berkshire.

But what will happen when Warren dies?
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Old 02-11-2011, 01:03 PM   #6
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95% of my equity portfolio is in individual stocks, and has been almost since I started investing. I started doing this to gain more control over timing of gain and loss recognition. That is still a good reason, but there are others too.

Ha
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Old 02-11-2011, 01:43 PM   #7
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Old 02-11-2011, 01:43 PM   #8
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100% individual stocks for many years now, which is the only allocation I am comfortable with.

I enjoy tracking and analyzing them, but this is made easier by sticking to only the most stable, well-managed companies (IMO) with long histories of earnings/dividend increases and no clouds (IMO) on the horizon.
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Old 02-11-2011, 03:28 PM   #9
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Old 02-11-2011, 03:36 PM   #10
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Old 02-11-2011, 03:53 PM   #11
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I just started buying some individual stocks recently & have about 3% of my liquid assets in them. Don't have much time to spend evaluating them and Mutual Funds seem to be doing just as well or better.....

I do like that AAPL though....
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Old 02-11-2011, 03:59 PM   #12
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Almost zero in individual stocks. I used to do a lot more. I do a 'testosterone trade' once in a while, and the few I've done recently gained me almost exactly what the market did!

I just don't have the confidence that I can pick 'em better than average, at least not enough of 'em to be diversified enough to protect myself against a mistake or just some occasional bad luck, and still make it worth while.

More power to those who can.

-ERD50
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Old 02-11-2011, 04:06 PM   #13
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0% individual stocks. We've had stocks, Drip plans , ESOP's etc over the years. Now we're working toward a basic Total Stock Mkt, Total Int'l Mkt, Total Bond Mkt portfolio for the employer retirement plans. Our Roth's are VG Wellington & Wellesley along w/ REIT Index and Hi Yld Corp. Easy diversification and simplicity fit our goals
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Old 02-11-2011, 04:44 PM   #14
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~10% and slowly falling. As I sell stocks that have fallen out of my favor, I'm as likely to replace them with mutual funds as I am with other individual stocks. This is especially true of the company stock I get through ESPP and unload after 2 years. I'm rarely doing the reverse, selling mutual funds to buy individual stocks.
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Old 02-11-2011, 04:44 PM   #15
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0%, here. I am retired and at this stage I am mostly interested in diversification and lowering risk.
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Old 02-11-2011, 05:24 PM   #16
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I own one stock. It's the remnants of my 401(k) company match as well as some exercised stock options outside the 401(k). In total, I'd estimate it at roughly 6% of my port. I'm estimating because, for one thing, I don't know exactly what the stock value (reduced for what i owe our Uncle Sam) amounts to. The stock price, i know to the penny each day (if I looked). Now, 6% of one stock might sound like a lot (or heck, maybe a little). At one time, this stock was 70+% of my port as it exploded in value within my 401(k) over a 10 year period. I was able to divest myself of most of it before it shrank to a 1/3 it's highest value. Now, you might ask, why would I keep such a stock (old megacorp, hasn't recovered from big loss in '08, same price it was in '99, blah, blah blah). Well, it's got a low PE ratio (now that it's lost 2/3) AND it's paying over 5% dividend. That's better than anything in my port is doing! So, for now, I'm going to hang on and see what happens. Over my 36 year career, whenever I thought about buying some of this stuff (but never did outside of the 401K)) I always regretted not buying. So now, at least I'll hold.

Oh, I do own one other stock. It's the stock in the family business. It's not even OTC so, it really has no value other than the assets of the company or what my fellow shareholders might pay me to buy me out. I'm calling it 5% of my port and that's a total guess.

I'm okay with my decision on both of these stocks though with a "do over", I would have dumped megacorp at it's high!!! Hind sight and 20/20, and YMMV, etc. etc.
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Old 02-11-2011, 05:38 PM   #17
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95% of my equity portfolio is in individual stocks, and has been almost since I started investing. I started doing this to gain more control over timing of gain and loss recognition. That is still a good reason, but there are others too.

Ha
Same for me. The balance(5%) in cash. I like collecting my own dividends.
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Old 02-11-2011, 05:56 PM   #18
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Before FIRE, I owned stocks and funds. After looking at my track record over several years, I realized that I was mismanaging both. Got rid of the stocks and I feel better about the funds. I want to learn more before I accept the challenge of going back into stocks.

Free to canoe

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Old 02-11-2011, 06:21 PM   #19
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O% in individual stocks these days, down from 100% a decade back. I got lazy...

Now it's:
20% Vanguard Intermediate Term Bond Fund
20% Vanguard Inflation-protected Securities Fund
33.6% Vanguard Total Stock Market Fund
8.4% Vanguard Small-cap Value Fund
18% Vanguard FTSE All-World Ex-US Fund

with bands of 25% up/down from those allocations. I check regularly, every year, and re-balance as needed. (Did I mention I'm lazy?)
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Old 02-11-2011, 06:26 PM   #20
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0% individual stocks. Over 85% of our assets are in equities, but all of that is MFs. I feel fine about it.
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